Morning Report: local papers

Wednesday's papers: Sale of Ports of Auckland not on ARC agenda; Burnham soldier died after surgery to relieve headaches; disciplinary action to be taken against culprits in disorderly toga parade in Dunedin last month.

NZ Herald

The New Zealand Herald reports a plunge in profits at Ports of Auckland has sparked calls to sell the country's largest port company. But the Auckland Regional Council says such a sale is not on its agenda.

John Key has taken charge of a plan to create a 3000km national cycle path partly as a way to boost tourism.

Racing driver Brendon Hartley, 19, has taken a big step towards the big time, being named as the third driver for Italy's Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula One team.

Dominion Post

The Dominion Post reports more pain is ahead for motorists as ACC levies go up. That's forcing up car registration charges but the Government is also looking at pushing more of the cost of road crashes on to the ACC petrol levy.

There'll be more public sector job cuts with up to 20 positions to go at the Ministry of the Environment.

Organisers of a charity tennis tournament have scored a coup - with Flight of the Conchords stars Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement agreeing to perform at the event later this month.

The Press

The Press leads with plans to megre AgResearch with Lincoln University. The aim is to rival the top five agriculture-oriented universities in the world.

A Christchurch mother talks of being stunned by the death of her son after minor surgery. Clinton-John Botha, 21, a soldier at Burnham, died after surgery to relieve headaches at Christchurch hospital.

And the supreme award winner is pictured at the Ellerslie international flower show. A natural history media unit, Bush Telly, won with a rustic shed where it will film interviews during the flower show.

ODT

The Otago Daily Times says Otago University will take disciplinary action against the culprits behind a disorderly toga parade last month. Several have been identified - but it's not spelt out just what form the discipline will take.

Waipu volunteer firefighters have been left "devastated" by the crash of a tandem hang glider which claimed the lives of a colleague and the pilot.